Abstract Objectives Uptake of psychosocial services during cancer treatment remains relatively low. To use these services efficiently, novel approaches – based on evidence-based theory – are needed to understand cancer patients' readiness to seek psychosocial services. Guided by the transtheoretical model (TTM), we investigated individuals' readiness to use psychosocial services by assessing decisional conflict (pros/cons) and self-efficacy, which are established as the most important constructs of predicting a specific behavior. Methods In these secondary analyses, we examined demographic and treatment-related factors in a national sample of adult cancer patients and survivors in the United States as predictors of decisional balance (pros/cons) and self-efficacy (i.e., two core TTM constructs) of engaging in psychosocial services. Participants were recruited through an online survey. In addition to examining demographic factors (age, sex, race, and marital status) as independent variables using t tests and correlations, treatment-related variables, such as having multiple cancers, type of cancer, type of treatment, and treatment setting were included. Results Four hundred and sixty-six participants completed the survey. The sample was primarily Caucasian (79%) and female (54.7%); average age was 47.9 (SD = 14.8). While no significant relationships emerged for self-efficacy, younger age and non-Caucasian race were significantly related to greater cons of seeking psychosocial care. Finally, those with multiple cancers versus reporting only one malignancy endorsed more cons of seeking psychosocial care. Conclusions These data highlight the importance of measuring the cons of seeking psychosocial care during cancer treatment, with younger age, non-Caucasian, and those reporting experience with multiple cancers endorsing greater cons. This may impact eventual uptake of available services. Future research should identify individuals at risk for declining services based on perceived cons of seeking psychosocial care during cancer.


This quasi-experimental research study examines in depth the issues of accent and comprehensibility but also the effects of technology on the accent reduction of Saudi EFL (English as Foreign Language) students at an English Language Institute in a Saudi university. In this study, recorded speeches of students of two classes were first rated for foreign speech accent and comprehensibility by two native, two non-native English listeners and an IELTS speaking examiner at pre- and post-accent reduction program stages. While one class (controlled group) was treated through conventional instruction, the second class (experimental group) got treatment through technology- based accent reduction instruction. It was found that the foreign speech accent interfered with comprehensibility and the phonological factors which accounted for foreign speech accent were both segmental and supra-segmental features. Most, importantly, the study discovered that ubiquitous nature of mobile applications served the EFL students with pronunciation training in the target language anywhere anytime. Lastly, this study recommends a Lingua Franca Core standard of comprehensibility while designing technology-based accent reduction programs specifically for EFL settings.


Using data collected from a larger ethnographic study that explored the educational experiences of three generational cohorts of undocumented immigrant Latino students in a public secondary school setting, this study provides undocumented students' perspective on barriers (perceived or real) to feeling or not feeling like a member of the school community. Qualitative interviews with twelve undocumented immigrant Latina/o students identified discriminatory factors that contributed to students' beliefs about their undocumented status among documented Latina/o peers. Findings indicate that feelings of belonging within-group variation (1.25, 1.5. and 1.75) of undocumented Latina/o students were challenged when issues of language, age of migration and the dominant American narrative projected by their Latina/o documented peers placed undocumented students' outside of the shared cultural group and society.


As we begin the decade of the 1980's, the Captioned Films for the Deaf Program and all who are associated with the education of the deaf can look with pride on the accomplishments of the program since 1965. A national network of 65 depositories exists, each capable of circulating over 950 captioned educational films —films which have passed rigid standards for selection by educators of the deaf from among the estimated 25,000 films in the educational film marketplace.While the films have been and will continue to be the most visible and sought after facet of the program, another facet of the program is of equal importance. Since 1965, 15 volumes of Lesson Guides for Captioned Films have also been created. Each Lesson Guide is designed to give the film user insights into the message, content, purposes, and applications of each film in the collection. Each Lesson Guide follows a continuously improved formula of providing film users the necessary information on the most effective utilization of captioned films. Going beyond the synopsis provided by the Captioned Films Catalog, the Lesson Guides offer a comprehensive outline of each film. In recent years, the Lesson Guides have also offered a comprehensive subject heading index attempting to cross-reference each film under the maximum number of possible subject headings: In 1978 Volume XIV of the Lesson Guides added for the first time, an inclusive alphabetical title index.Captioned films can make a difference if they are utilized wisely, judiciously, and with care. Lesson Guides offer the user of captioned films the inside track on effective utilization of captioned films and a chance of making that all important breakthrough to knowledge with their students.If we are in fact committed to better, more effective utilization of the captioned films we already have (and can look forward to receiving), Captioned Films Lesson Guides are a necessary, vital, and valuable resource.


Today, convolutional and deconvolutional neural network models are exceptionally popular thanks to the impressive accuracies they have been proven in several computer-vision applications. To speed up the overall tasks of these neural networks, purpose-designed accelerators are highly desirable. Unfortunately, the high computational complexity and the huge memory demand make the design of efficient hardware architectures, as well as their deployment in resource- and power-constrained embedded systems, still quite challenging. This paper presents a novel purpose-designed hardware accelerator to perform 2D deconvolutions. The proposed structure applies a hardware-oriented computational approach that overcomes the issues of traditional deconvolution methods, and it is suitable for being implemented within any virtually system-on-chip based on field-programmable gate array devices. In fact, the novel accelerator is simply scalable to comply with resources available within both high- and low-end devices by adequately scaling the adopted parallelism. As an example, when exploited to accelerate the Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network model, the novel accelerator, running as a standalone unit implemented within the Xilinx Zynq XC7Z020 System-on-Chip (SoC) device, performs up to 72 GOPs. Moreover, it dissipates less than 500 mW@200 MHz and occupies ~5.6%, ~4.1%, ~17%, and ~96%, respectively, of the look-up tables, flip-flops, random access memory, and digital signal processors available on-chip. When accommodated within the same device, the whole embedded system equipped with the novel accelerator performs up to 54 GOPs and dissipates less than 1.8 W@150 MHz. Thanks to the increased parallelism exploitable, more than 900 GOPs can be executed when the high-end Virtex-7 XC7VX690T device is used as the implementation platform. Moreover, in comparison with state-of-the-art competitors implemented within the Zynq XC7Z045 device, the system proposed here reaches a computational capability up to ~20% higher, and saves more than 60% and 80% of power consumption and logic resources requirement, respectively, using ~5.7× fewer on-chip memory resources.


BACKGROUND
Familial multiple lipomatosis is an extremely rare disease. The disease usually does not affect the daily life of FML victims, but they may experience difficulty in performing everyday physical tasks if the lipomas are multiple and large. Inheritance is frequently by autosomal dominant transmission, although cases with recessive inheritance have also been reported.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the pattern of inheritance of the disease in a family with 83 members spanning three generations.

METHODS
A complete family analysis was performed and all surviving members of the family were examined. Laboratory investigations were conducted in those with FML, including serum lipid, cholesterol and glucose levels, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and renal and hepatic function tests.

RESULTS
There were no consanguineous relationships between spouses in the family. The disease was first seen on the neck of the (male) index patient. This patient had 4 sons, 8 daughters and 60 grandchildren. The disease was established in four of his daughters and two of his sons. One of the female grandchildren whose mother has the disease was also affected. The laboratory findings were normal for all patients.

CONCLUSION
Our findings showed that a) the disease is transmitted by the autosomal dominant route of inheritance; and b) lipomas observed at an early age may be numerous and large, may diffuse, and sometimes have to be excised surgically.


We present a method for controlling the motions of active deformable characters. As an underlying principle, we require that all motions be driven by internal deformations. We achieve this by dynamically adapting rest shapes in order to induce deformations that, together with environment interactions, result in purposeful and physically-plausible motions. Rest shape adaptation is a powerful concept and we show that by restricting shapes to suitable subspaces, it is possible to explicitly control the motion styles of deformable characters. Our formulation is general and can be combined with arbitrary elastic models and locomotion controllers. We demonstrate the efficiency of our method by animating curve, shell, and solid-based characters whose motion repertoires range from simple hopping to complex walking behaviors.


Due to the increased interest regarding the fate, transport and toxic effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) within the aquatic environment a variety of different methods have been reported, trying to fulfil the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, Directive 2000/60/EC). For PBDEs the WFD specifies Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) at very low trace levels, which correspond to 0.5 ng L−1 for 6 priority brominated flame retardants. The reliable quantification of such low concentration levels in environmental sample matrices requires the development of new analytical approaches. Current standard GC-MS methods, which are frequently used for PBDE analysis, often do not provide sufficient sensitivity for their reliable analysis at ultra-trace levels. Within this context a new GC-ICP-MS method has been developed and optimized allowing the ultra-trace determination of the selected priority congeners at sub ng L−1 levels. The quantification approach is based on the application of 81Br labelled PBDEs as internal standards for species-specific isotope dilution analysis. Natural water samples were analysed to demonstrate the potential of this new detection and quantification approach.


We previously reported that S100B, a 20-kDa Ca(2+)-binding homodimer, inhibited the postinfarct myocardial hypertrophic response mediated by alpha(1)-adrenergic stimulation through the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway. In the present study, we examined whether the same pathway induced the S100B gene, supporting the hypothesis that S100B is a feedback negative regulator of this pathway. We transfected cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes with a luciferase reporter gene driven by the maximal human S100B promoter and progressively shorter segments of this promoter sequentially deleted from the 5' end. We identified a basic promoter essential for transcription spanning 162 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site and positive (at -782/-162 and -6,689/-4,463) and negative (at -4,463/-782) myocyte-selective regulatory elements. We showed that the basic and maximal S100B promoters were activated specifically by alpha(1)-adrenergic agonists through the alpha(1A)-adrenergic receptor, but not by any other trophic hormonal stimuli. The activation of the S100B promoter was mediated through the PKC signaling pathway. Transcription enhancer factor-1 (TEF-1) and related to TEF-1 (RTEF-1) influenced transcription from the maximal, but not the basic, promoter implicating active MCAT elements upstream from the basic promoter. Acting in opposing fashions, TEF-1 transrepressed the S100B promoter and RTEF-1 transactivated the promoter. Our results suggest that alpha(1)-adrenergic stimulation induces the S100B gene after myocardial infarction through the PKC signaling pathway and that this induction is modulated by TEF-1 and RTEF-1.


Effectively distributing information to members of a large organization poses a number of challenges. Ideal information distribution within an organization will betimely, selective, and (to some degree) automatic. It is difficult to meet all three of these criteria simultaneously using existing techniques in information retrieval and information filtering. This paper introduces a new method of distributing information automatically, based on e terprise models — representations of the pertinent aspects of an organization's structure and operation. The approach is based on the premise that often information needs within an organization are implicitly represented by paths through the enterprise model. These paths are discovered in our approach through the use of Generalized Path Models (GPMs). A GPM specifies (1) the conditions that instigate a path search when new information is created, (2) a general class of paths for which to search, and (3) an action to take when a suitable path is found. The approach has been implemented in a software module called IDIST, an extension to a large commercial enterprise modelling tool.


Smallholder Mexican farmers are embedded in an adverse context, due to neoliberal globalization policies, which threatens their livelihoods, and has caused an unprecedented surge of migration to the US. Keeping goats is one strategy to diversify livelihoods. Goat husbandry is dairy oriented and has a range of functions for farmers, like income, food, insurance, credit, and a reason for not having to migrate to the US. However, caprine brucellosis, a zoonosis endemic in Mexico caused by Brucella melitensis, has a negative impact on flock productivity. Although brucellosis is rarely a fatal disease in humans, it can be very debilitating and disabling due to complications such as arthritis and spondylitis. The main objectives of this thesis were to assess the impact of brucellosis on smallholder goat husbandry and to evaluate brucellosis control strategies in enhancing farmers' livelihoods. The research approach was that of a case study, incorporating methods from natural and social sciences, such as archival and secondary data review, surveys, ethnography and veterinary epidemiological modelling. The case study was conducted in two states within the Bajio region with high rates of migration: Michoacan and Jalisco. In Michoacan free cost vaccination and testing was applied whereas in Jalisco farmers had to bear part of those costs and there was a lack of veterinarians offering the service. Goat farmers considered that they were better off than farmers who did not keep goats: 'it is better to herd than to be herded'. Farmers' knowledge, labour and good social capital allowed them to maintain relatively large flocks given the amount of crop land owned. The prevalence of testing positive to brucellosis in goats was 38% in Jalisco and 11% in Michoacan. Access to communal land and crop residues were key for the pastoral management system prevalent in the study area, but grazing goats had higher risk of testing positive to brucellosis. Farmers avoided drinking goat milk, as it was seen as a cause of 'fever'. The milk price was low and controlled by the caramel industry. Vaccination and test-and-cull strategies are options to control brucellosis. Simulations showed that vaccination is economically feasible but will not bring the prevalence below to 10% within 5-years. Test-and-slaughter is not economically rewarding at the current milk price. At present, culling of seropositive goats to brucellosis does not happen because an adequate infrastructure for culling does not exist. Farmers perceived that brucellosis control measures cause losses such as abortion due to untimely vaccination and infections due to ear tagging. Moreover, farmers did not always know that brucellosis and Malta fever (human brucellosis) are synonyms, neither were they aware of all consequences of brucellosis infection. Brucellosis control is stagnant because of a two way lack of communication: farmers are not well informed about brucellosis and policies are formulated without knowledge of goat farming practices and of farmers' perceptions. Successful brucellosis control would enhance smallholder goat farmers' livelihoods but the control policy needs to be redesigned. Important factors to consider in the design of a new policy are: (1) a comprehensive compensation for losses when applying test-and-cull; (2) the integration of farmers' expertise and experience; (3) diffusion of knowledge about brucellosis control, its prevention and its impact on human health and livestock production; (4) a regional planning is a must to succeed.


Purpose : To evaluate the anti-stress and memory-enhancing properties of F. vulgare extract in experimental rats. Methods: F. vulgare plant extract was obtained using Soxhlet extraction technique. The extract, at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, was administered orally with an orogastric tube. Urinary levels of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and ascorbic acid in rats were used to evaluate anti-stress activity. Conditioned avoidance response was measured in normal and scopolamine-induced amnesic rats to study the memory-enhancing effects. Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay in liver and brain homogenates of rats was used to evaluate antioxidant activity. Results : Daily administration of F. vulgare extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) 1 h prior to induction of stress significantly (p < 0.05) altered the stress-induced urinary biochemical levels of VMA from 395.79 ± 11.23 to 347.12 ± 12.28, 311.21 ± 12.48 and 258.86 ± 10.26 μg/kg, respectively, in 24 h, as well as ascorbic acid excretion levels from 65.74 ± 9.42 to 78.59 ± 8.44, 108.41 ± 15.62 and 125.82 ± 16.94 μg/kg also within the same period, respectively. These changes occurred in a dose-dependent fashion, and the levels in the control groups were unchanged within the same period. The memory deficits induced by scopolamine (1mg/kg, i.p.) in rats was reversed by F. vulgare dose-dependently. The extract also exhibited potent antioxidant effect by inhibition of lipid peroxidation in both rat liver and brain homogenates to a greater extent than the standard antioxidant, ascorbic acid. Conclusion: F. vulgare may be useful in the management of stress and stress-related disorders on account of its multiple actions such as anti-stress, memory-enhancing and antioxidant effects. Keywords: Foeniculum vulgare, Stress, Vanillyl mandelate, Memory, Antioxidant, Ascorbic acid


The author of a program can convince its readers (including himself) that it computes as he intended by writing into the program text a precise description of what it should do. This description can include a clear proof that the program behaves as advertised. In the future, programming languages may offer far more mechanical assistance in expressing, checking, and processing these descriptions than they do now. However, some existing languages, such as PL/C, provide features which help in these tasks considerably. Here we examine such features applied to simple programs of the type traditionally taught in beginning programming classes. We discuss various proposals for expanding programming languages to provide more assistance of this type. Keywords and phrases: program correctness, automatic program verification, Hoare axioms, Scott induction, recursive programs, least number operator, bounded quantifiers, inductive assertion method, programming language design, very high level programmng languages, PL/I, PL/C, macro facilities.


OF DISSERTATION VISUAL SEMANTIC SEGMENTATION AND ITS APPLICATIONS This dissertation addresses the difficulties of semantic segmentation when dealing with an extensive collection of images and 3D point clouds. Due to the ubiquity of digital cameras that help capture the world around us, as well as the advanced scanning techniques that are able to record 3D replicas of real cities, the sheer amount of visual data available presents many opportunities for both academic research and industrial applications. But the mere quantity of data also poses a tremendous challenge. In particular, the problem of distilling useful information from such a large repository of visual data has attracted ongoing interests in the fields of computer vision and data mining. Structural Semantics are fundamental to understanding both natural and manmade objects. Buildings, for example, are like languages in that they are made up of repeated structures or patterns that can be captured in images. In order to find these recurring patterns in images, I present an unsupervised frequent visual pattern mining approach that goes beyond co-location to identify spatially coherent visual patterns, regardless of their shape, size, locations and orientation. First, my approach categorizes visual items from scale-invariant image primitives with similar appearance using a suite of polynomial-time algorithms that have been designed to identify consistent structural associations among visual items, representing frequent visual patterns. After detecting repetitive image patterns, I use unsupervised and automatic segmentation of the identified patterns to generate more semantically meaningful representations. The underlying assumption is that pixels capturing the same portion of image patterns are visually consistent, while pixels that come from different backdrops are usually inconsistent. I further extend this approach to perform automatic segmentation of foreground objects from an Internet photo collection of landmark locations. New scanning technologies have successfully advanced the digital acquisition of large-scale urban landscapes. In addressing semantic segmentation and reconstruction of this data using LiDAR point clouds and geo-registered images of large-scale residential areas, I develop a complete system that simultaneously uses classification and segmentation methods to first identify different object categories and then apply category-specific reconstruction techniques to create visually pleasing and complete scene models.


Abstract This article draws on anthropological fieldwork conducted during the West African Ebola outbreak (2014-2016) and reports of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis to discuss the role played by religion in infectious disease control. While much separates Ebola and Covid-19, the religious practices prevalent in both contexts produce similar challenges to hospital staff and caregivers. In West Africa, at least 20 % of all infections were suspected to be related to the burial of deceased Ebola victims; yet at the same time, local communities at times reacted very negatively to infectious disease control measures. This article discusses how, based on this recognition, a systematic exchange began between anthropologists, faith-based organisations (FBOs) and humanitarian organisations active in the provision of healthcare, culminating in a WHO protocol for the "safe and dignified" burial of Ebola victims. The model of 'contactless' adaptations of religious practices it put forth may have significantly contributed to the control of the epidemic. In the second part, this article turns to the Covid-19 pandemic to show how religious communities have responded to the risks associated with many religious practices, and how the WHO, drawing on its experience with Ebola, developed comparable guidelines aimed at religious leaders and faith communities. As the experience in West Africa has shown, it is argued, the active involvement of religious actors in the formulation of public health measures may not only help to provide safe comfort in the midst of a profoundly alienating experience, but significantly reduce the spread of the virus.


Background: Anaesthesia-related maternal mortality remains unacceptably high, especially in district hospitals. Community service doctors (CSDs) play an important role in the provision of anaesthesia in these hospitals. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of doctors providing anaesthesia during community service. Identifying deficiencies in the performance of anaesthesia by CSDs can lead to remedial actions. Methods: A prospective, questionnaire-based study was done of doctors who had done their anaesthesia rotation during their internship in Pietermaritzburg, between 2008 and 2010. Quantitative data were collected regarding their performance of anaesthesia during community service. The data included details concerning the provision of anaesthesia, supervision and training, and whether CSDs felt adequately prepared to perform anaesthesia during community service. Qualitative data were also collected, which will be reported in another article. Results: The study response rate was 72.9%. Roughly half of the respondents performed anaesthesia during community service, of which two-thirds did more than 50 cases. Obstetric anaesthesia was the most common procedure performed. CSDs worked largely unsupervised, 63% had very little supervision and 62% received no further training in anaesthesia during community service. CSDs felt adequately prepared to administer obstetric anaesthesia, but less well prepared to perform general anaesthesia for appendicectomies and ectopic pregnancies. Discussion: CSDs perform a large proportion of the anaesthesia in rural hospitals, where they work largely unsupervised. Furthermore, CSDs feel less well prepared to perform general anaesthesia than spinal anaesthesia. To meet the needs of patients in these areas, intern training needs to be aimed at improving anaesthesia delivery in rural hospitals and guidelines need to be established regarding the performance of anaesthesia by CSDs. Conclusion: The study showed that CSDs play an important role in provision of anaesthesia services, especially in rural areas. However, they work largely unsupervised and receive little further training or support. A large proportion do not feel comfortable in administering general anaesthesia. Intern training should be adjusted to meet the needs of CSDs.


4'-Demethyldeoxypodophyllotoxin was isolated as the sole cytotoxic constituent of a chloroform-soluble extract of the stem bark of AMANOA OBLONGIFOLIA. Also identified from this extract were a number of noncytotoxic isolates that comprised the lignans, (+)-sesamin and paulownin, the triterpenes, friedelin, canophyllol, betulin, betulinic acid, and ursolic acid, and the sterols, beta-sitosterol and daucosterol.


The continuous increase of leakage power consumption in deep sub-micro technologies necessitates more aggressive leakage control. Runtime leakage control (RTLC) is effective, since runtime circuits generally have significant amount of idleness. However, current RTLC techniques are only used when circuits have long idleness, rendering the techniques less profitable. The reason is due to the large energy and delay overhead when performing RTLC mode transition. We propose two novel techniques, workload-adaptive Vth hopping (WAVTH) and hierarchical Vth hopping (HIVTH), to tackle the overhead problems and enable aggressive runtime leakage control. Experimental results show 19.2% average improvement on leakage saving with WAVTH and HIVTH over basic Vth hopping. The optimum design points of these two techniques are determined through accurate modeling.


As the areal recording density approaches to 1 Tb/in2, the spacing between magnetic heads and medium is decreased to sub-1-nm regime with the application of dynamic flying height (DFH) technology. Challenges in tribological flyability and reliability in the head-disk interface (HDI) become formidable at such ultra-low spacing, and it is necessary to achieve from both media and head design. It is also essential to have a better touch-down (TD) detection method and more accurate back-off spacing control for sustainable tribological performances. In this paper, the dynamics and wear during TD process were studied first. The characteristic TD modes were identified by laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) and the TD induced wear was quantified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that different TD stages correspond to different TD modes and amount of TD wear. It is found that the identification and capture of the characteristic TD modes, especially the first TD mode, are the key factors to timely detect TD and minimize the TD wear. The tribological performances at sub-1-nm clearance were then investigated with respect to both head and media design. The slider dynamics over a bump was studied to simulate the head reliability when the head intermittently contacts the media. It is found that air bearing surface (ABS) design of the head has a significant influence on the settling time when head passes through the bump. In addition, the flyability over a wavy surface (i.e., media run-out) was also studied to understand the TD repeatability. The results show that media run-out strongly affects TD repeatability and back-off spacing accuracy. Consequently, spacing control to sustain the reliability at sub-l-nm clearance is necessary. With in-depth understanding of dynamics and tribological performances (i.e., flyability and reliability), media and head ABS design are the key factors to achieve a sustainable HDI at sub-1-nm clearance.


Universal standards for measuring, recording, and transmitting data are crucial components of the global meteorological observing system, allowing data collected at one place and time to be compared meaningfully with data collected elsewhere and/or at other times. Without these standards, we would be unable to detect global climate change. In his essay,
 Edwards
 charts the evolution of global weather data standards since the 1850s. Many standards have gradually been embodied in automatic instruments and computer programs, but enforcing standards nevertheless requires substantial discipline on the part of humans and institutions. Since the 1980s, climate politics have provoked much controversy over data quality, sometimes resurrecting debates that these standards were intended to settle.


Abstract This study investigates distinctive oriented, needle-shaped multiphase inclusions found within cores of garnets from felsic granulites of the Upper Member of the Bigelow Brook Formation and the Brimfield Schist (northeastern Connecticut, U.S.A.). The rocks crop out in the southern end of the Central Maine Terrane and thus are a part of the Acadian/Neoacadian Orogen. The typical mineral assemblage is garnet + sillimanite + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + cordierite + biotite ± spinel. The sillimanite is commonly pseudomorphous after kyanite. The multiphase needle inclusions and associated exsolved needles of rutile and ilmenite are mostly oriented parallel to <111> of garnet. The multiphase needles contain various combinations of quartz, micas, chlorite, rutile, graphite, a siliceous compositionally variable phase ("Phase-CV"), Zn-spinel, apatite, zircon, and rare ilmenite. We hypothesize that they represent inclusions of fluid that adhered to exsolving Ti±Fe oxide needles (mostly rutile) or extended along zones of weakness in garnet. This requires that multiphase needle formation occurred in response to cooling and/or decompression. The needles ultimately decrepitated during retrogression. We note that micaceous needle-shaped multiphase inclusions are rarely described; the closest analogs of which we are aware are found in UHP garnets of the Erzgebirge (Perchuk 2008). The Brimfield Schist in this area underwent ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism (UHTM) of ~1000 °C at a minimum pressure of ~1 GPa (Ague et al. 2013). Here we provide new temperature estimates for the adjacent Upper Member of the Bigelow Brook Formation. Ternary feldspar reintegration using the activity model of Benisek et al. (2004) and Zr-in-rutile thermometry (Tomkins et al. 2007) give average temperatures of ~990 and ~1010 °C, respectively, at 1 GPa for this unit. Therefore, the recently discovered UHT zone in the Brimfield Schist of northeastern Connecticut extends to the east to include the Upper Member of the Bigelow Brook Formation. Consequently, the first confirmed regional UHT locality in the United States is larger than initially recognized, and is at least 25 km long and 5-10 km wide. The oriented, elongate multiphase inclusions and petrographically obvious oriented Ti±Fe oxide needles may be useful indicators of extreme temperature and/or pressure rocks in other field areas.


Flexible charging can be applied to avoid peak loads on the electricity grid by curbing demand of electric vehicle chargers as well as matching charging power with availability of sustainable energy. This paper presents results of a large-scale demonstration project "Flexpower" where time-dependent charging profiles are applied to 432 public charging stations in the city of Amsterdam between November 2019 and March 2020. The charging current on Flexpower stations is reduced during household peak consumption hours (18:00–21:00), increased during the night-time, and dynamically linked to solar intensity levels during the day. The results show that the EV contribution to the grid peak load can be reduced by 1.2 kW per charging station with very limited user impact. The increased charging current during sunny conditions does not lead to a significantly higher energy transfer during the day because of lack of demand and technical limitations in the vehicles. A simulation model is presented based on empirical power measurements over a wide range of conditions combining the flexibility provided by simulations with the power of real-world data. The model was validated by comparing aggregated results to actual measurements and was used to evaluate the impact of different smart charging profiles in the Amsterdam context.


People from a refugee background experience intersecting challenges which predisposes them to a heightened risk of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) related harms. Despite AOD service staff being conscious of increased risks regarding substance usage, there remains pivotal inextricable differences amongst the way cultures and subcultures conceptualise and relate to substance usage. This may be evident for refugee populations that have to navigate through the experiences of displacement, resettlement, and the acculturation process. Despite refugee populations being at risk for AOD harm, the services available for support remain under utilised. As a result, this can highlight discrepancies within the knowledge(s) of both service-provisions and refugee and CALD communities concerning engagement with one another as there is a misalignment of expectations. The research outlined in this report aims to minimise service-access barriers that exist for people from a refugee and CALD background by proposing recommendations based on key findings. Influenced by grounded theory, our qualitative study utilised focus groups to collaboratively engage participants who were from a Middle Eastern and Burmese refugee background. All participants (n=26) were between the ages of 18-25 and were resettled within the Illawarra or Shoalhaven local government areas within the last 10 years. Data was documented using a recording device and was later transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Results showed participants understood the nuances of AOD harm in a unique way that was mediated through cultural values, language, and lived experiences. Thus, impacting the knowledge and access of AOD services. The study is pivotal because it paves the way forward in improving refugee serviceprovisions in AOD for youth and communities.


ABSTRACT The present study examines prevalence and correlates of exchanging sex for drugs, money, food shelter, or other favors (sex exchange) among a nationally representative sample of youth and young adults. Adolescents and young adults (n = 11,620, 53% female, 47% male) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used for the current sample. Participants completed in-home interviews at both waves. Results revealed that sex exchange was reported by 4.9% (n = 569) of the population in wave 2 or wave 3, and 4.6% (n = 26) of those who exchanged sex did so at both waves. More males reported exchanging sex than females (n = 332 versus n = 237). Respondents who reported child sexual abuse were more likely to exchange sex (95% CI 2.51–4.28, p < .05) than respondents who reported any other form of child abuse. Both males and females who engaged in sex exchange were at greater risk for sexually transmitted infections; however, the odds of ever exchanging sex were highest among males who ever had gonorrhea (OR = 6.2; 95% CI 3.75–10.3). Although sex exchange has been studied extensively among homeless and runaway youth, the current study reveals sex exchange also occurs in the general population.


Abstract Russian nationalism after Crimea is commonly depicted as aggressive and expansionist – but few Russian ethno-nationalists would accept this description. Quite the contrary: they would argue that ethnic Russians as the majority population find themselves under "under siege" from ethnic minorities. A case in point, they hold, is Stavropol Krai in the North Caucasus. In local ethno-nationalist circles this region is depicted as "Russia's Kosovo," a glaring example of the Kremlin's betrayal of ethnic Russian interests. This article presents a case study of the under-researched regional dimension of Russian nationalism. The purpose is twofold: to map regional ethno-nationalist discourse and, drawing on survey data, to explore to what extent this discourse is reflected in general attitudes toward the influx of migrants and plans for own migration. We find that local ethno-nationalists have succeeded in mobilizing support at the national level, but that, despite increased ethnic tensions in Stavropol Krai, few Russians contemplate leaving.


Importance Understanding the contribution of the ugly duckling sign (a nevus that is obviously different from the others in a given individual) in intrapatient comparative analysis (IPCA) of nevi may help improve the detection of melanoma. Objectives To assess the agreement of dermatologists on identification of the ugly duckling sign and estimate the contribution of IPCA to the diagnosis of melanoma. Design, Setting, and Participants The same 2089 digital images of the nevi of a sample of 80 patients (mean age, 42 years [range, 19-80 years]; 33 men and 47 women), as well as 766 dermoscopic images from a subset of 30 patients (mean age, 40 years [range, 21-75 years]; 12 men and 18 women), were randomly presented to the same 9 dermatologists for blinded assessment from September 22, 2011, to April 1, 2013. The first experiment was designed to mimic an IPCA situation, with images of all nevi of each patient shown to the dermatologists, who were asked to identify ugly duckling nevi (UDN). The second experiment was designed to mimic a lesion-focused analysis to identify morphologically suspicious nevi. Data analysis was conducted from November 1, 2012, to June 1, 2013. Main Outcomes and Measures Number of nevi labeled UDN and morphologically suspicious nevi, specificity of lesion-focused analysis and IPCA, and number of nevi identified for biopsy. Results Of the 2089 clinical images of nevi from 80 patients (median number of nevi per patient, 26 [range, 8-81]) and 766 dermoscopic images (median number of nevi per patient, 19 [range, 8-81]), all melanomas were labeled UDN and as morphologically suspicious nevi by the 9 dermatologists. The median number of UDN detected per patient was 0.8 among the clinical images of nevi (mean, 1.0; range, 0.48-2.03) and 1.26 among the dermoscopic images (mean, 1.4; range, 1.00-2.06). The propensity to consider more or fewer nevi as having ugly duckling signs was independent of the presentation (clinical or dermoscopic). The agreement among the dermatologists regarding UDN was lower with dermoscopic images (mean pairwise agreement, 0.53 for clinical images and 0.50 for dermoscopic images). The specificity of IPCA was 0.96 for clinical images and 0.95 for dermoscopic images vs 0.88 and 0.85, respectively, for lesion-focused analysis. When both IPCA and lesion-focused analyses were used, the number of nevi considered for biopsy was reduced by a factor of 6.9 compared with lesion-focused analysis alone. Conclusions and Relevance Intrapatient comparative analysis is of major importance to the effectiveness of the diagnosis of melanoma. Introducing IPCA using the ugly duckling sign in computer-assisted diagnosis systems would be expected to improve performance.


The structural health and long-term survival of orthopedic endoprosthetic constructs are currently limited by lack of direct monitoring capabilities and by implant design. In our previous studies, we have successfully applied Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) concepts to develop methods to monitor the progress of bone healing1,2 and the extent of osseointegration of endoprostheses, in order to predict and prevent construct failure. The objective of this project is to develop a novel osseointegration implant for transfemoral amputees. Currently available implants result in stress shielding and progressive loss of bone substance, both of which limit construct longevity and, in the event of construct failure, limit options for revision surgery. In this project, we have combined orthopedic and engineering design principles to develop a shape-optimized and stress-optimized endo-exo prosthesis, that mitigates stress shielding and progressive loss of bone substance, and incorporates sensing elements to facilitate through-life Structural Health Monitoring. The implant is designed to optimize implant longevity, employ direct structural health monitoring to prevent catastrophic construct failure, and maximize the options for revision in the event of predicted or realized failure. In this paper, we discuss the clinical and design considerations of the proposed implant, and the role of SHM in the design and monitoring processes


In this paper the variational Bayesian approximation for partially observed continuous time stochastic processes is studied. We derive an EM-like algorithm and describe its implementation. The variational Expectation step is explicitly solved using the method of conditional moment generating functions and stochastic partial differential equations. The numerical experiments demonstrate that the variational Bayesian estimate is more robust than the EM algorithm.


Thyroid hormone exerts direct effects on essentially all of the organ systems of the body. Hypothyroidism is a frequently diagnosed endocrine disorder that has characteristic clinical signs and symptoms. In addition to these common manifestations, however, there are many additional manifestations of hypothyroidism that are less commonly acknowledged and include involvement of the hematologic, muscular, cardiac, and rheumatologic systems. It is important to recognize that these other organ systems may be involved and that the resulting disease states can dominate the clinical picture. As with the classic manifestations of hypothyroidism, these unusual manifestations respond to thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Thus, the importance of recognizing these signs and symptoms, as a result of hypothyroidism, is evident. This article emphasizes these less common manifestations of the patient with hypothyroidism, and, in addition, discusses the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms by which thyroid hormone deficiency can lead to organ system dysfunction.


All fields of the standard model and gravity are unified as an E8 principal bundle connection. A non-compact real form of the E8 Lie algebra has G2 and F4 subalgebras which break down to strong su(3), electroweak su(2) x u(1), gravitational so(3,1), the frame-Higgs, and three generations of fermions related by triality. The interactions and dynamics of these 1-form and Grassmann valued parts of an E8 superconnection are described by the curvature and action over a four dimensional base manifold.


The present authors have introduced polynomial splines over T-meshes (PHT-splines) and provided the theories and applications for PHT-splines over hierarchical T-meshes. This paper generalizes PHT-splines to arbitrary topology over general T-meshes with any structures. The general PHT-spline surfaces can be constructed through an unified scheme to interpolate the local geometric information at the basis vertices of the T-mesh. We also discuss the edge insertion and removal algorithms for PHT-splines over general T-meshes. As applications, we present algorithms to construct a spline surface over a T-mesh from a quadrilateral mesh.


We present an overview of recent research at IDIAP on speech & face based biometric authentication. This report covers user-customised passwords, adaptation techniques, confidence measures (for use in fusion of audio & visual scores), face verification in difficult image conditions, as well as other related research issues. We also overview the Torch machine-learning library, which has aided in the implementation of the above mentioned techniques.


The relationship of HIV tropism with disease progression and the recent development of CCR5-blocking drugs underscore the importance of monitoring virus coreceptor usage. As an alternative to costly phenotypic assays, computational methods aim at predicting virus tropism based on the sequence and structure of the V3 loop of the virus gp120 protein. Here we present a numerical descriptor of the V3 loop encoding its physicochemical and structural properties. The descriptor allows for structure-based prediction of HIV tropism and identification of properties of the V3 loop that are crucial for coreceptor usage. Use of the proposed descriptor for prediction results in a statistically significant improvement over the prediction based solely on V3 sequence with 3 percentage points improvement in AUC and 7 percentage points in sensitivity at the specificity of the 11/25 rule (95%). We additionally assessed the predictive power of the new method on clinically derived 'bulk' sequence data and obtained a statistically significant improvement in AUC of 3 percentage points over sequence-based prediction. Furthermore, we demonstrated the capacity of our method to predict therapy outcome by applying it to 53 samples from patients undergoing Maraviroc therapy. The analysis of structural features of the loop informative of tropism indicates the importance of two loop regions and their physicochemical properties. The regions are located on opposite strands of the loop stem and the respective features are predominantly charge-, hydrophobicity- and structure-related. These regions are in close proximity in the bound conformation of the loop potentially forming a site determinant for the coreceptor binding. The method is available via server under http://structure.bioinf.mpi-inf.mpg.de/.


BACKGROUND
Inappropriate sedation assessment can jeopardize patient comfort and safety. Therefore, nurses' abilities in assessing and managing sedation are vital for effective care of mechanically ventilated patients.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
This study assessed nurses' sedation scoring and management abilities as primary outcomes following educational interventions. Nurses' perceived self-confidence and barriers to effective sedation management were assessed as secondary outcomes.

DESIGN
A post-test-only quasi-experimental design was used. Data were collected at 3 and 9 months post-intervention.

METHODS
A total of 66 nurses from a 14-bed intensive care unit of a Malaysian teaching hospital participated. The educational interventions included theoretical sessions, hands-on sedation assessment practice using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale, and a brief sedation assessment tool. Nurses' sedation scoring and management abilities and perceived self-confidence level were assessed at both time points using self-administered questionnaires with case scenarios. Sedation assessment and management barriers were assessed once at 9 months post-intervention.

RESULTS
Median scores for overall accurate sedation scoring (9 months: 4·00; 3 months: 2·00, p = 0·0001) and overall sedation management (9 months: 14·0; 3 months: 7·0, p = 0·0001) were significantly higher at 9 months compared to 3 months post-intervention. There were no significant differences in the perceived self-confidence level for rating sedation level. Overall perceived barrier scores were low (M = 27·78, SD = 6·26, possible range = 11·0-55·0). Patient conditions (M = 3·68, SD = 1·13) and nurses' workload (M = 3·54, SD = 0·95) were the greatest barriers to effective sedation assessment and management. Demographic variables did not affect sedation scoring or management abilities.

CONCLUSIONS
Positive changes in nurses' sedation assessment and management abilities were observed, indicating that adequate hands-on clinical practice following educational interventions can improve nurses' knowledge and skills.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Educational initiatives are necessary to improve ICU practice, particularly in ICUs with inexperienced nurses.


Brazil was heralded for completion of the first genome sequence of a plant pathogen following the development of a virtual research center - a collaborative network of laboratories throughout the state of São Paulo, drawing on the expertise of a dispersed and diverse scientific community and on investment from both the government and the private sector. Strategies key to the success of this model are discussed here in the context of continuing collaborative scientific endeavors in both developed and developing countries.


The work of tree climbers is a hazardous activity during which many risks of occupational accidents must be faced. Numerous injuries happen during the performance of this professional activity. This is why our research was conducted, and the principle of which was to gather and evaluate, on the basis of the questionnaire method, injuries occurring to tree climbers during their work. An anonymous online questionnaire was prepared in order to obtain data about the rate of accidents recorded amongst tree climbers working in the territory of the Czech Republic. There were 121 tree climbers participating in the collection of data. The questionnaire was divided into seven sections, each section including questions focused on possible injuries related to the work of tree climbers and first aid. Answers of respondents indicated that the highest number of injuries were caused by cutting with the manual saw. Burns caused by the power saw and damage to eyes by sawdust or dust during sawing followed. The results also showed that nearly 30% of tree climbers work alone, and 47% of tree climbers collaborate with a ground worker who is not able to rescue them from the tree in the case of an exceptional unexpected situation. The research also revealed surprising results as to carrying first aid kits. Only 62% of tree climbers have a personal first aid kit on them in the tree crown. However, a positive finding appears in the fact that 75% of tree climbers are graduates of some medical course.


We investigated the local heat and mass transfer on the endwall surface at different Strouhal numbers. The Strouhal number represents the interaction between the turbine stator and rotor. Thus, characteristics of flow and heat transfer on the endwall surface change for different Strouhal numbers. The experiment was performed in five-bladed linear cascade blades with moving cylindrical rods simulating unsteady wakes effects. The Reynolds number which was based on the blade cord length and inlet velocity was 100,000. The range of the Strouhal number varies from 0 to 0.22 to investigate the effect of unsteady wakes on the endwall surface. The local heat and mass transfer were measured on the endwall surface using the naphthalene sublimation method. The results showed that the local heat transfer characteristics changed depending on the Strouhal number. In the steady case, the occurrence of a horseshoe vortex, passage vortex and corner vortex caused non-uniform heat transfer on the endwall surface. However, in the unsteady case, the unsteady wake effect caused more uniform heat transfer on the endwall surface. As the Strouhal number increased, heat transfer increased and became more uniform compared with the steady case. Thus, an appropriate cooling system is necessary for stator and rotor endwalls in situations of real gas turbine operation.© 2015 ASME


The growing population of people with dementia worldwide calls attention to the burdens associated with age-related decline that affects physiology, psychological and cognitive status, and social/emotional wellbeing. The current standards in geriatric care recommend non-pharmacological approaches to these challenges, including safe approaches to managing pain and stress, enhancing symptom relief, and fostering independent lifestyles with the highest quality of life possible. The purpose of this article is to provide definitions of music-based interventions, music therapy applications and clinician qualifications, as well as an umbrella mini-review of meta-analyses regarding music-based interventions for individuals with dementia. Our findings indicate that most descriptions of music therapy protocols in the research lack sufficient detail to enable researchers to compare and replicate studies, and clinicians to apply techniques. Definitions of music therapy and music-based interventions are inconsistent, and practitioners vary in their professional training and preparation for implementing music-based clinical strategies. We recommend that future researchers provide thorough descriptions of music therapy and music-based interventions in their protocols.


The distribution of substance P receptor (SPR) protein in the rat periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) was investigated with a polyclonal antibody in the four subdivisions obtained by cytochrome-oxidase histochemistry (Co-hi). At light microscopic analysis, immunoreactivity appeared particularly dense in the dorsal subdivision of the PAG, was less intense in the other subdivisions, and formed several longitudinally organized columns. SPR-like immunoreactivity (SP(R-i)) was localized mostly to cell bodies and dendrites of small and medium-sized neurons, which constituted about 6% of the total neuronal population of the PAG. At the electron microscopic level, SP(R-i) could be observed on postsynaptic as well as on nonsynaptic regions of both cell bodies and dendrites. A small proportion of axons (4.2%) and axon terminals (5.3%) showed SP(R-i), the majority of labeled axon terminals, amounting to about 70% of synapsing elements, formed asymmetric synapses with dendrites. Rare astroglial processes displaying SP(R-i) were also observed scattered throughout the neuropil of all PAG subdivisions. Our observations suggest that 1) also in the PAG, SP may act in a diffuse, nonsynaptic manner, probably on targets that are distant from its sites of release; and 2) SP may modulate excitatory neurotransmission acting presynaptically on those labeled axons that form asymmetric synapses.


Biological Phosphorus Removal Activated Sludge Process in Warm Climates presents the results of detailed researches on the Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR) activated sludge process under warm climate conditions (20°C - 30°C), which is part of the R & D program of Public Utilities Board (PUB) Singapore. While the investigations and studies presented in this book are application-oriented, but at the same time the studies aim at an insightful understanding of the EBPR with the knowledge of the latest development in academic field. The focus points are:

• EBPR performance of laboratory-scale and full-scale activated sludge processes under the site conditions in warm climates;

• The carbon competition and distribution between PAO and GAO (and denitrifiers) in the process;

• The stoichiometry and kinetics of P-release, COD uptake in the anaerobic environment and P-uptake in the aerobic environment under different temperatures and operating conditions;

• PAO and GAO population fractions, shift and dominance studies using FISH and batch tests;

• The inter-relationships between the system performance, process design and the microbial community;

• EBPR for industrial wastewater (high ratio of feed COD/P) treatment under warm climates.

Together with the preceding book — Biological Nitrogen Removal Activated Sludge Process in Warm Climates — published by IWA in 2008, this book fills the gap of biological nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal in warm climates and provides unique experiences and knowledge for Process and design researchers and engineers in wastewater research, students and academic staff in Civil/Sanitation/Environment Departments, as well as Managers, Engineers and Consultants in water companies and water utilities.

ISBN: 9781843393818 (Print)

ISBN: 9781780400891 (eBook)


We review the concept of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and discuss examples of their use in a number of scenarios. Several SVM implementations have been used in HEP and we exemplify this algorithm using the Toolkit for Multivariate Analysis (TMVA) implementation. We discuss examples relevant to HEP including background suppression for H → τ + τ − at the LHC with several different kernel functions. Performance benchmarking leads to the issue of generalisation of hyper-parameter selection. The avoidance of fine tuning (over training or over fitting) in MVA hyper-parameter optimisation, i.e. the ability to ensure generalised performance of an MVA that is independent of the training, validation and test samples, is of utmost importance. We discuss this issue and compare and contrast performance of hold-out and k-fold cross-validation. We have extended the SVM functionality and introduced tools to facilitate cross validation in TMVA and present results based on these improvements.


This paper examines the economic analyses and popular rhetoric surrounding the debt relief initiatives of Jubilee 2000 www.jubilee2000uk.org and the World Bank www.worldbank.org . It is pointed out that simplistic calls to 'drop the debt' may be counter-productive. There is no point in just demonizing debt. It has to be asked if debt cancellation is a particularly effective use of scarce aid resources. A serious look at historical evidence is required. In particular we consider the views of William Easterly on the adverse effects of continuing waves of debt relief on the governments of impoverished countries. We provide a brief empirical analysis in a panel data set using fixed effects estimation. Although our results are not consistent with Easterly's, many of the points that he and others have raised cannot simply be set aside. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Fluid convection during solidification of castings will influence the final structures of the castings. A vertical cylindrical casting set-up has been designed to provide two zones of solidification simultaneously with two moving fronts directionally upward and directionally downward, respectively. This two zone directional solidification casting was composed of a cylindrical Furan sand mold with a water chilled center hole block at the center of the casting. Experimentally it was observed that the cooling rates at different locations of the downward zone were much more even than those of the upward one and this is considered to be the result of a more even temperature distribution along the downward front moving zone due to stronger fluid convection. Fluid convection tends to mix up the liquid and results in a more even temperature distribution and a lower degree of segregation of the element molybdenum which has a strong tendency to segregate to the carbide in ductile iron. The characteristics of the matrix microstructure and the growing direction of carbide of this directionally solidified ductile iron has been investigated with SEM and EBSD techniques.


Text classification is a task of automatic classification of text into one of the predefined categories. The problem of text classification has been widely studied in different communities like natural language processing, data mining and information retrieval. Text classification is an important constituent in many information management tasks like topic identification, spam filtering, email routing, language identification, genre classification, readability assessment etc. The performance of text classification improves notably when phrase patterns are used. The use of phrase patterns helps in capturing non-local behaviours and thus helps in the improvement of text classification task. Phrase structure extraction is the first step to continue with the phrase pattern identification. In this survey, detailed study of phrase structure learning methods have been carried out. This will enable future work in several NLP tasks, which uses syntactic information from phrase structure like grammar checkers, question answering, information extraction, machine translation, text classification. The paper also provides different levels of classification and detailed comparison of the phrase structure learning methods.


Pollen and phytolith analyses were undertaken at the Jiangli site in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, combined with studies on macrofossils by flotation. The concentration of pollen decreased while the percentage of Poaceae pollen in the profile increased from the late phase of the Majiabang Culture to the Songze Culture suggesting that human impact on the local environment intensified gradually. The discovery of rice paddy implies a relatively advanced rice cultivation in this area during the middle-late Holocene. Other than phytoliths, the high percentage of Oryza-type Poaceae pollen (larger than 40 µm) supplied robust evidence for the existence of rice paddy. Moreover, the fact that the farther from the rice paddy, the lower the concentration and percentage of Poaceae pollen also proves that the dispersal and deposition of pollen is inversely proportional to the distance.


To identify and quantify downside risks to housing markets, we apply the house price-at-risk methodology to a sample of 37 cities across the United States and Canada using quarterly data from 1983 to 2018. This paper finds that downside risks to housing markets in the United States have seemingly fallen over the past decade, while having increased in Canada. Supply-side drivers, valuation, household debt, and financial conditions jointly play a key role in forecasting house price risks. In addition, capital flows are found to be significantly associated with future downside risks to major housing markets, but the net effect depends on the type of flows and varies across cities and forecast horizons. Using micro-level data, we identify households vulnerable to potential housing shocks and assess the riskiness of household debt.


Julolidine and its derivatives are excellent electron-rich structures thus two novel second order nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores based on julolidine donors and tricyanofuran (TCF) acceptors linked via isophorone bridge (zh-1) and modified isophorone bridge (zh-2) have been synthesized. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to optimize the geometrical structures, calculate the HOMO–LUMO energy gaps and first-order hyperpolarizability (β) of these chromophores. Besides, to determine the redox properties of these chromophores, cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments were performed. The optimized structures suggest that chromophore zh-1 possesses better planarity which increases the ability of electron delocalization. These chromophores showed good thermal stability with their decomposition temperatures all above 210 °C. The electro-optic coefficients (r33) of poled films containing 25 wt% of these chromophores doped in amorphous polycarbonate (APC) afforded values of 170 and 101 pm V−1 at 1310 nm for chromophores zh-1 and zh-2, respectively. These properties show the potential use of the new chromophores as advanced material devices.


REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY
An emerging problem of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection in horses in the USA is a high-mortality myeloencephalopathy that commonly occurs where large numbers of horses are stabled. EHV-1 isolates recovered from recent neurological outbreaks represent a mutant virus strain that possesses enhanced neuropathogenicity. A central question of EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy is the latency carriage rate for these mutants of EHV-1 in USA horse populations.

OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 as latent infections in the Thoroughbred broodmare population of central Kentucky.

METHODS
Submandibular lymph nodes (SMLN) were collected during post mortem examination of 132 Thoroughbred broodmares. Total DNA purified from SMLN tissue was tested for the presence of latent EHV-1 DNA by an ultrasensitive magnetic bead-based, sequence-capture, nested PCR method. Differentiation of active from latent infections by EHV-1 was achieved by detection of transcripts of EHV-1 glycoprotein B by reverse transcription PCR.

RESULTS
Latent EHV-1 DNA was detected in the SMLN tissues of 71 (54%) of the 132 mares submitted for necropsy. Thirteen (18%) of the 71 latently infected horses harboured the neuropathogenic biovar of EHV-1. Of the 13 horses latently infected with an ORF30 mutant strain of EHV-1, 11 also carried a latent, wild-type strain of the virus in their SMLN tissues.

CONCLUSIONS
Neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 have established a significant presence in the Thoroughbred broodmare population of central Kentucky as latently infected carrier horses. The data also indicate that a highly sensitive DNA detection method is required to identify many instances of EHV-1 latency.

POTENTIAL RELEVANCE
The presence of a relatively large biological reservoir of latent, neuropathogenic EHV-1 has the potential for posing emerging equine health and economic threats to the future prosperity of the USA horse industry.


ROI (Region of interest), defines the individual choice and this ROI principle applied on compression of video and transmission methods like foveation targets on exploiting the certain demerits of human visualisation power. The observing quality of the human decreases exponentially as the distance gets increased from the statically situated of video frame detection and correction of errors, speed control and calculation of performance in compression of a video. This paper provides a individual choice of location system based on prediction for HD football broadcast video. the proposed method makes uses of information about the context which is produced from analysis of individual's choosed location study that are experimented, in order to construct a flexible prior map. In addition to this, classified the complexity into sub categories through classification of various shots thus providing the model to pre understand the task relating directly to every object category and therefore constructing automatically the prior map. Final results conclude that the proposed technique has good performance for the gaze prediction when compared to various other top-down model that have made used in this paper. Exact view power gives the best possible outcome as it has the tendency to advance bit allocation accurately.


The Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the only sea turtles with recorded landings in the Pulau Pinang coastal area. The Green Turtle has been the most abundant and widely distributed sea turtle in this area since it was first surveyed in 1995. Statistical analysis by the Pulau Pinang Department of Fisheries on the distribution of sea turtles from 2001 through 2009 has identified Pantai Kerachut and Telok Kampi as the most strongly preferred beaches for Green Turtle landings, with records for almost every month in every year. Green Turtle tracks and nests have also been found along the coast of Pulau Pinang at Batu Ferringhi, Tanjong Bungah, Pantai Medan, Pantai Belanda, Telok Kumbar, Gertak Sanggul, Moonlight Beach, Telok Duyung, Telok Aling, Telok Bahang and Telok Katapang. The Olive Ridley Turtle is present in smaller numbers; landing and nesting have only been recorded on a few beaches. There are no previous records of Olive Ridley landings at Pantai Kerachut and Telok Kampi, but tracks and nests have been found at Telok Kumbar, Tanjong Bungah, Pantai Medan, Telok Duyung and Gertak Sanggul. A Turtle Conservation Centre has been established at Pantai Kerachut to protect these species from extinction in Pulau Pinang. This paper presents details of the records and distribution of sea turtles in Pulau Pinang from 1995 through 2009.


Drug abuse is one of the most serious problems of our times. The problems related to drugs are on the increase in most developing countries and Kenya is no exception. Cannabis is currently the most widely abused illicit drug in Kenya. Its popularity is not limited to any single group of people. It encompasses the wealthy, middle class and lower income families. It affects students in suburban, urban and the rural areas and includes high achievers and average students. This is despite the fact that cannabis consumed today is far more potent than it ever was in the 1960s and 1970s. The research was conducted for a period of one month, to investigate the role of basic socialisation units (the family, the school and the peers) in abuse of cannabis by secondary school students. To identify the kind of knowledge, information and attitudes that secondary school student has acquired from these institutions on cannabis, their influence, and effects on students. To achieve this, a psychosocial theoretical model that postulates that deviant behaviours result from socialisation institutions guided the study. Quantitative and qualitative research methods that is, the questionnaire and focus group discussions were used to collect the data. A total of 180 respondents were interviewed and six opinion leaders. The data was analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative analysis involved calculation of chi-square while qualitative analysis involved a description of students' behaviour in relation to the hypothesised variables. The results of the study showed that the basic socialisation units play a role in abuse of cannabis among secondary school students. They do not adequately inform the students about the consequences of abusing cannabis. Peer influence was found to be very strong in leading students to abuse drugs. The family members unlike the teachers in school were not playing their role adequately to alleviate the problem of cannabis abuse. The study therefore, recommended strengthening of basic socialisation units by equipping them with information about drugs in order to reduce or to stem out the problem from schools.


Location is one of the main characteristics households consider when buying a property or deciding where to live, since it determines accessibility to employment subcenters and public transport stations. Using a geographically-referenced data set on new housing developments, this paper estimates how households value accessibility in Mexico City. The results are shown considering road accessibility to formal employment subcenters (private accessibility) and distance to the main public transport stations in the city (public accessibility). The results suggest that accessibility to employment subcenters is considered an amenity for households, while being closer to a Metro station is perceived as a dis-amenity. Moreover, households located in neighborhoods with a greater proportion of informal workers and lower education levels give a lower value to private accessibility than households located in neighborhoods with a lower proportion of informal workers or in high-educated neighborhoods. These results are evidence of the existence of spatial segregation in the city, where disadvantaged households are segregated not only because of their economic conditions, but also because they are located farther away from employment opportunities.


To systematically evaluate the safety of salvianolate injection in clinical medication. A systematic literature search was performed in the databases of Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, the Web of Science, Clinical Trials, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data and CBM. Literature screening was done according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality was assessed according to internationally recognized quality evaluation criteria. Then the data were reviewed for analysis. 148 papers were included, consisting of 122 randomized controlled trials(RCTs), 10 non-randomized controlled trials(NRCTs), 4 case series studies, and 12 case reports. In the analysis of 135 studies, totally 7 300 patients used salvianolate injection. There were a total of 419 adverse drug reactions(ADRs), and 12 cases of serious adverse drug reactions. In the patients with Salvianolate injection, there were 176 cases of adverse drug reactions(ADRs) and 1 case of adverse cardiac event. The ADRs included 17 cases of rash, 9 cases of gastrointestinal reaction, 38 cases of headache, dizziness, heaviness in head, 1 case each of drug fever, hypotension, bleeding gums, chills, lip numbness, body jitter, slightly elevated ALT, 3 cases of palpitation, 4 cases of breath shortness, and 25 cases of other unkonwn ADRs. In the present study, a large number of rare, serious adverse events were not seen in clinical application of Salvianolate injection, but future long-term monitoring is needed to obtain evidence for the safety of the drug. In addition, the clinical application of Salvianolate injection is seriously beyond the instruction, so relevant departments shall urgently develop the medication specifications for salvianolate injection to provide better guidance for its clinical medication.


Following the discovery of the pre-salt petroleum fields, Brazil changed the regulatory framework of the oil industry upstream. Its main objectives are three-fold: (i) increasing the government take; (ii) mitigating the oil curse; (iii) developing the national oil industry. The paper attempts to 'ex-ante' assess whether the instruments of the new framework (e.g., the change in the oil regime, the creation of a social fund, the exclusive E&P rights to Petrobras) will be able to achieve these objectives (i.e., goal effectiveness) and whether the costs they entail are lower than their benefits (i.e., welfare increase). Our assessment shows that the new regulatory regime is likely to succeed.In this paper we identify what are the objectives of the new regulatory framework through the analysis of government and policy-makers declaration. We describe the instruments that the new regulatory framework contain to achieve the objectives. We examine whether the instruments seem well-suited to face the objectives. Moreover, by taking into account also the costs of the instruments, we wonder whether the welfare is likely to increase. And then, we identify some open Numbers regarding the implementation that may strongly impact the welfare.This paper is a prospective analysis and there are still some key open elements about how the new regulatory framework will be implemented. We cannot forecast the future but we show that it is likely that the goals will be achieved and this achievement is likely to be welfare improving.


A gold amalgamator, used conventionally for Hg vapor enrichment, is reported to preconcentrate Se after hydride generation. The optimum trapping and volatilization temperatures were 450 and 970 °C, respectively. Preconcentration processes are controlled by temperature only while the carrier gas composition remains unchanged (75 ml min−1 H2). This is a significant advantage compared to the approach reported previously based on gold wire, where Se preconcentration was controlled by both surface temperature and carrier gas composition. Moreover, the gold amalgamator offers higher capacity and better resistance to interference, at least by an order of magnitude. This approach to Se preconcentration is very well compatible with atomic absorption spectrometry using a modular trap-and-atomizer device reported recently. The limit of detection for 300 s sample introduction time reached 13 pg ml−1 Se (absolute LOD 247 pg Se). The method developed was validated by analysis of water certified reference materials. The mechanism of selenium hydride trapping was investigated employing a 75Se radioactive indicator. The potential of coupling the gold amalgamator trap to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was also investigated. However, severe transport losses of volatilized Se species occur between the heated amalgamator and the torch due to analyte condensation on colder surfaces, preventing routine use of this set-up.


multimodal iterative approach was used for data collection including precon- ference surveys, review of a 2001 consensus conference on isocyanates, oral and poster presentations, focused break-out sessions, panel discussions, and postconference research agenda workshop. Results: Participants included representatives of consumer and worker health, health professionals, regu- latory agencies, academic and industry scientists, labor, and trade associa-tions. Conclusions: Recommendations were summarized regarding knowl-edgegapsandresearchprioritiesinthefollowingareas:workerandconsumerexposures;toxicology,animalmodels,andbiomarkers;humancancerrisk;environmentalexposureandmonitoring;andrespiratoryepidemiologyanddisease,andoccupationalhealthsurveillance. doses, and routes of isocyanate exposure to better predict human responses to isocyanates? (2) Can such models be used to develop better biomarkers of exposure and early isocyanate asthma? (3) What self-molecules are the major reaction targets for isocyanates after skin and airborne exposures in vivo? (4) How are isocyanates me- tabolized and which isocyanate metabolites and biomolecules are the best biomarkers of isocyanate exposure? (5) What are the most accu- rate and sensitive methods for quantification of proposed biomarkers in human serum or urine samples?


Earthquakes in slowly deforming intraplate regions like Poland are not as frequent or of high intensity as at the plate boundaries. However, few low-to-moderate intensity earthquakes have been reported to have shaken different regions of Poland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We present an intensity re-evaluation of one of these earthquakes—the 11 June 1895 Mid-Silesia, southwestern Poland earthquake. Damage reports were collected from 563 towns and villages of the Silesia region soon after the earthquake. However, these reports and the names of the places are in German. The damage reports were translated from German to English and the names of the places to present names in Polish. The intensity re-evaluation was carried out using the modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) scale. The highest intensity on the MMI scale is evaluated to be VII in two important towns of Strzelin and Ziębice. The reports mention damage to the estate officer's house by the 11 June 1895 Mid-Silesia earthquake. In this study, the location of the estate officer's house was determined, and suspected earthquake damage to the building was demarcated.


This paper deals with an automatic rotor design functional standard computation based on torque/volume for a synchronous reluctance motor(SynRM). The focus of this paper is the design relative to the torque/volume on the basis of each rated watt according to the rotor diameters of a SynRM. The coupled finite elements analysis (FEA) & sequential unconstrained minimization technique (SUMT) have been used to evaluate design solutions. The proposed procedure allows to define the rotor geometric design function according to the rotor diameter and rated watt starting from an existing motor or a preliminary design.


The objective of this evaluation is to provide recommendations to ensure consistency between the technical baseline requirements, baseline design, and the as-constructed Access Roads. Recommendations for resolving discrepancies between the as-constructed system, the technical baseline requirements, and the baseline design are included in this report. Cost and Schedule estimates are provided for all recommended modifications. This report does not address items which do not meet current safety or code requirements. These items are identified to the CMO and immediate action is taken to correct the situation. The report does identify safety and code items for which the A/E is recommending improvements. The recommended improvements will exceed the minimum requirements of applicable code and safety guide lines. These recommendations are intended to improve and enhance the operation and maintenance of the facility.


One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is to fulfill the growing energy needs sustainably and cost-effectively. Among the different sources of energy, biodiesel is one of the alternative energy sources that has tremendous potential to become a major mainstream renewable energy mix. Jatropha is an important raw input for biodiesel that provides an ecological and sustainable solution for emerging greenhouse gas emissions over the other biomass feedstock. This paper critically evaluates different factors and presents a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and barriers to the adoption of Jatropha biodiesel. In Pakistan, the estimated production of Jatropha biodiesel is expected to be 2.93 million tons, that are calculated from available barren land and possible shortlisted suitable areas for Jatropha plantation. It is ~25% of the total import (11.84 million tons) of petroleum products, which can save ~$2 billion USD reserves of Pakistan. The cultivation of Jatropha on barren land is an environmentally and economically lucrative approach for Pakistan. This study has real implications for developing a policy framework related to the environment and socio-economic feasibility of Jatropha biodiesel production in Pakistan.


Most of the adversarial attack methods suffer from large perceptual distortions such as visible artifacts, when the attack strength is relatively high. These perceptual distortions contain a certain portion which contributes less to the attack success rate. This portion of distortions, which is induced by unnecessary modifications and lack of proper perceptual distortion constraint, is the target of the proposed framework. In this paper, we propose a perceptual distortion reduction framework to tackle this problem from two perspectives. We guide the perturbation addition process to reduce unnecessary modifications by proposing an activated region transfer attention mask, which intends to transfer the activated regions of the target model from the correct prediction to incorrect ones. Note that an ensemble model is adopted to predict the activated regions of the unseen models in the black-box setting of our framework. Besides, we propose a perceptual distortion constraint and add it into the objective function of adversarial attack to jointly optimize the perceptual distortions and attack success rate. Extensive experiments have verified the effectiveness of our framework on several baseline methods.


Liz will talk about her work on financial and enrolment requirements relating to MOOC business viability. She will indicate where the challenges and are how some of these issues can be overcome and how others are just more challenging. She will present an opportunity to explore the use of MOOCs with the flipped classroom. The flipped classroom is an approach where content is provided in advance to students and instead of the traditional lecture the time is spent interacting with students through worked examples etc. Liz will examine impacts on student learning, but also consider how to make this approach manageable to staff workloads and how lecture theatres design can be altered to facilitate this new way of learning.


We studied crystallinity and exciton harvesting in bulk heterojunctions of the semiconducting polymer PffBT4T-2OD and electron acceptor PC71BM that are used to make highly efficient organic solar cells. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering shows that the size of crystalline domains of PffBT4T-2OD increases to ∼18 nm in photovoltaic blends upon thermal annealing at 100 °C for 5 min. These domains are larger than the typical exciton diffusion lengths in conjugated polymers. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements show that the exciton diffusion length in PffBT4T-2OD increases from ∼14 to ∼24 nm upon thermal annealing, which enables efficient charge generation in blends with large domains. Solar cells prepared using thermally annealed blends show higher photocurrents, open circuit voltages, and fill factors compared to unannealed blends, which indicates reduced recombination losses. Our results demonstrate the advantages of large crystalline domains in organic photovoltaics, providing exciton diffusion is sufficient.


A four-month storage stability test on the sweet sorghum (SPV 422) syrup was conducted. The syrup's initial Brix, storage containers' material of construction and incubation temperature were the experimental parameters. A higher degree Brix concentration of around 40-65 degree Brix is preferred due to having least reductions in the reducing sugar content, pH and dissolved solids concentration upon storage. This study also confirmed that high density polyethylene (HDPE) was a more suitable material than carbon steel for storage containers of sweet sorghum syrup. On the other hand, analyses of the dependence of the syrup's stability on storage temperature proved that a higher temperature 40ºC was more preferred for lesser degree of changes in amount of reducing sugars and Brix. Conversely, a larger drop in pH was observed at 40ºC incubation temperature.


In this paper, we propose a novel approach for efficiently sensing a remote field using wireless sensor networks. Our approach, the infer algorithm, is fully distributed, has low overhead and saves considerable energy compared to using just the data aggregation communication paradigm. This is accomplished by using a distributed algorithm to put nodes into sleep mode for a given period of time, thereby trading off energy usage for the accuracy of the data received at the sink. Bayesian inference is used to infer the missing data from the nodes that were not active during each sensing epoch. As opposed to other methods that have been considered, such as wavelet compression and distributed source coding, our algorithm has lower overhead in terms of both inter-node communication and computational complexity. Our simulations show that on average our algorithm produces energy savings of 59% while still maintaining data that is accurate to within 7.9%. We also show how the parameters of the algorithm may be tuned to optimize network lifetime for a desired level of data accuracy


Part of the major swing in strike associated with the Greenland-Labrador Promontory of the North Atlantic Caledonides is exposed in considerable detail in the metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks of the Neo-Proterozoic Dalradian Supergroup in northwest Ireland. We show that the strike swing controlled Dalradian stratigraphy and sedimentation patterns and is therefore at least c. 600 Ma in age. Our interpretation of the stratigraphy allows a reconstruction of this promontory in the Laurentian continental margin and shows that it separated a NE-trending. gently inclined and broad continental shelf in the north from an E-trending. more steeply inclined and narrower shelf to the south. Once established in the geometry of the Dalradian sequence, the strike swing and basement promontory had a major influence on Caledonian deformation patterns. It controlled: the nucleation of major folds: the geometry of the regionally developed primary cleavages; the facing direction of the early folds: and it also acted as a major buttress in perturbing and deflecting. on a regional scale, the orogenic transport vector. Accurate restoration of the sinistral displacement on a late Caledonian fault system shows that the apices of the strike swing at different stratigraphic levels, and their associated sedimentary facies changes, define a line trending approximately N12ºE. This line is coincident with (again, after fault restoration): six out of the eight Devonian Donegal granites: the vast majority of the mantle-related, ultrabasic 'Appinite' suite (with most of these bodies concentrated at the intersection of this line and the NE-trending Main Donegal Granite shear zone): and the highest density of the Neo-Proterozoic basic tholeiite suite. Thes e and other data are used to suggest that the Donegal Lineament is the expression of a major steeply inclined fault in the basement beneath the Dalradian which is intimately related to the morphology of the promontory. The fault, which might be as old as 1800 Ma, probably reached down into the lithospheric mantle. controlling igneous activity, including the ascent, emplacement site and perhaps sources of the magmas. Another complementary strike swing and parallel lineament is described from the Dalradian rocks of the adjacent part of Scotland. It is suggested that these and other major lineaments (i.e old pre-Caledonian faults) which have either NNE. NE, or ESE trends reflect not so much the location of the northern British Isles at a 120º triple junction during Iapetus rifting. but rather the exploitation of these pre-existing trends in the pre-Caledonian Atlantic borderlands during Iapetus opening.


Expression of the IL-2R alpha gene is regulated by members of the c-Rel/NF-kappa B family of transcription factors binding to the kappa B site in the promoter. Previous work has not defined the role of individual members of the c-Rel family in the activation of the IL-2R alpha gene. Using the COS cell system, we were able to reconstitute the regulation of the IL-2R alpha promoter by expressing cloned Rel family members with serum response factor (SRF). We found that c-rel alone activated the IL-2R alpha promoter only weakly but worked with the p50 subunit of NF-kappa B (NFKB1) to give a higher level of expression. We showed that c-rel heterodimerizes with p50 and the amount of this heterodimer correlated with the level of IL-2R alpha gene expression. Our results provide evidence that c-rel/p50 heterodimers activate gene expression in the context of a cellular promoter. We show that c-rel or p65 can cooperate with SRF in the activation of this promoter and the transactivation by c-rel with SRF was enhanced by p50. Synergistic activation required both kappa B and CArG sites, and binding studies show that these adjacent sites can be occupied simultaneously. The transactivation observed with cloned transcription factors mimics the physiologic induction of the IL-2R alpha gene since multiple sequence elements cooperate to give gene activation. The data support the model that c-rel/p50 or p65 can cooperate with SRF to specifically target the expression of the IL-2R alpha gene in activated T cells.


Abstract Regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics in dendritic spines is crucial for learning and memory formation. Hence, defects in the actin cytoskeleton pathways are a biological trait of several brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Here, we describe a novel synaptic mechanism governed by the cyclase-associated protein 2, which is required for structural plasticity phenomena and completely disrupted in Alzheimer's disease. We report that the formation of cyclase-associated protein 2 dimers through its Cys32 is important for cyclase-associated protein 2 binding to cofilin and for actin turnover. The Cys32-dependent cyclase-associated protein 2 homodimerization and association to cofilin are triggered by long-term potentiation and are required for long-term potentiation-induced cofilin translocation into spines, spine remodelling and the potentiation of synaptic transmission. This mechanism is specifically affected in the hippocampus, but not in the superior frontal gyrus, of both Alzheimer's disease patients and APP/PS1 mice, where cyclase-associated protein 2 is down-regulated and cyclase-associated protein 2 dimer synaptic levels are reduced. Notably, cyclase-associated protein 2 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid are significantly increased in Alzheimer's disease patients but not in subjects affected by frontotemporal dementia. In Alzheimer's disease hippocampi, cofilin association to cyclase-associated protein 2 dimer/monomer is altered and cofilin is aberrantly localized in spines. Taken together, these results provide novel insights into structural plasticity mechanisms that are defective in Alzheimer's disease.


The article explores the broad social and relational drivers behind mobilization of Chechens into armed jihad in the Levant. It suggests that the core mobilizing tool in a process toward violent (re-)action is a narrative that projects the Other as so different from, and so dangerous to the Self that the use of violence is legitimized. Moreover, the shift to more radical representations of the other group occurs in a mutual pattern of imagining and interaction between groups. The mobilization of Chechens into armed jihad is explained with reference to the physical and social exclusion of Chechens in Russia and how these experiences have been interpreted and narrated on the one hand and the attempted inclusion of Chechnya/North Caucasus by the global jihadi milieu on the other hand.


Database indices provide a non-discriminative navigational infrastructure to localize tuples of interest. Their maintenance cost is taken during database updates. In this paper, we study the complementary approach, addressing index maintenance as part of query processing using continuous physical reorganization, i.e., cracking the database into manageable pieces. The motivation is that by automatically organizing data the way users request it, we can achieve fast access and the much desired self-organized behavior. We present the first mature cracking architecture and report on our implementation of cracking in the context of a full fledged relational system. It led to a minor enhancement to its relational algebra kernel, such that cracking could be piggy-backed without incurring too much processing overhead. Furthermore, we illustrate the ripple effect of dynamic reorganization on the query plans derived by the SQL optimizer. The experiences and results obtained are indicative of a significant reduction in system complexity. We show that the resulting system is able to self-organize based on incoming requests with clear performance benefits. This behavior is visible even when the user focus is randomly shifting to different parts of the data.


This paper presents the architecture of an extended area monitoring system based on crowdsourcing and mobile devices. In particular areas (as very large historical sites) it can be difficult or impossible to install fixed cameras due to the huge number of candidate points of interest (POI) to monitoring or to the significant impact on site (i.e. cameras or other sensors could be too invasive towards historic walls or ancient materials). For these sites we propose a system based on a distribute architecture, a server that runs change detection algorithms and clients that run on visitors' smartphones and assists the acquisition of new pictures comparable to reference photos of the monitored areas. Server contains geo-referenced images of the POI and can automatically add new images of the same POI under partly different observation conditions (like angle of view or light or shadows distribution). The client section, the app on the mobile devices, shows all the POI in the neighboring area of the user, provides a map to reach a selected POI, compares in real time the reference photo of the POI provided by the server with the live view of the smartphone camera and supplies the user directions to obtain the correct overlap of the images.


The interpretation of the Qur'an has begun since the Holy Qur'an was delivered by the prophet Muhammad SAW to his people, this is a historical reality that cannot be denied by anyone including western and eastern historians, both Muslim and non-Muslim. Then the interpretation of the Qur'an in Indonesia is an effort made to explain the contents of the Qur'an to the Indonesian people through the language used by the nation. In the study of the interpretation of the Qur'an in Indonesia's early period, the interpretation of the Qur'an in Indonesian was marked by the emergence of several translations and interpretations of juz uz amma. The interpretations that existed at that time were still partial and not yet a complete interpretation. Until later in the late 60's, Hamka began writing an interpretation which was later called the interpretation of al-Azhar. Besides that Hasbi ash-Shiddieqy also compiled an interpretation entitled al-Qur'an al-Madjid in several volumes and then gathered it into an-Nur's interpretation and refined it into al-Bayan's interpretation. This paper will try to discuss the interpretation of an-Nur by Hasbi ash-Shiddieqy. The method used in the interpretation is the method of tahlili (analytical) and muqaran (comparative) while the interpretation style is the interpretation of al-Adabi> wa al-Ijtima>'iy. An-Nur's interpretation is one of the major influential works in Indonesia, it is evident that this interpretation book is a reference for PTAIN in Indonesia, both in the Faculty of Islamic Education and in the Faculty of Sharia